LEGO Star Wars is returning to the planet Bespin with 75222 Betrayal at Cloud City, a 2,812-piece playset based off memorable scenes from The Empire Strikes Back. The set includes a whopping 18 minifigures, two droids, and two vehicles: Boba Fett’s Slave I ship and a twin-pod Cloud Car. The set is also the first in the newly revealed LEGO Star Wars Master Builder Series.
Betrayal at Cloud City will hit stores on October 1st for $349.99 USD, and will be available early for LEGO VIP members beginning September 13 at the LEGO Store Online.
It has been 15 years since LEGO released 10123 Cloud City with its coveted rare minifigures and unique stretched-out design. It has long been the holy grail of many LEGO Star Wars collectors, and now, a decade and a half later, Cloud City is back and better than ever.
Taking a closer look at the new 75222 Betrayal at Cloud City (which we will refer to as BCC for ease… also spoiler alert for that name!?), the set is built on a round disc divided into four primary sections with a topper evoking a sense of the sleek, circular floating colony in the sky. Each of these sections depicts a significant moment from the film including a carbon freezing chamber, landing pad and more.
Curiously, the box for BCC is stylized like the two most recent LEGO Star Wars Ultimate Collector Series (UCS) sets, the 75192 Millennium Falcon and 75181 Y-Wing, but it does not bear the words “Ultimate Collector Series” nor does it appear to have an accompanying stickered fact-plaque.
The press release from LEGO states that the set “is part of the LEGO Star Wars Master Builder Series.” While we assume that may be a new distinction for large Star Wars playsets that don’t quite fit in with the impeccably detailed ships of the UCS theme, LEGO has shared with The Brothers Brick that the UCS line of Star Wars sets is here to stay, and has promised us a more detailed answer about the new Master Builder Series soon.
Update: LEGO has provided us with the following statement:
The Master Builder Series models are large playsets and beside being complex builds they are characterized by having many play features and functions, interior details as well as a range of minifigures. Ultimate Collectors series will remain highly detailed display models providing complex builds with a focus on authenticity and both Ultimate Collectors Series and Master Builder Series will continue as a way to highlight the unique characteristic of each style of model.
The 10236 Ewok Village, 75098 Assault on Hoth, and even 75159 Death Star come to mind as candidates that might have been classified in this new LEGO Star Wars Master Builder Series (MBS) had it existed when they were released. BCC bears similar characteristics, combining multiple scenes and vehicles that have previously been released as standalone sets, most recently 75137 Carbon-Freezing Chamber.
Taking a closer look at BCC, the set’s primary scenes and play features include a landing platform for Slave I, a dining room to act out ultimate betrayal, a garbage processing room for C-3PO disassembly, an interrogation center and carbon chamber for freezing moments in time, and the infamous gantry where Luke had an unexpected one-handed family reunion. (I rewatched the Empire Strikes Back to prepare for this article and I was surprised that even some of the small details in each room are recreated faithfully as well as spotting a cheeky micro Cloud City in the corner.)
Boba Fett’s Slave I ship is also featured in the set, albeit at a much smaller scale than it’s last UCS iteration, the 75060 Slave I. Referencing Ultimate LEGO Star Wars, it has been eight years since a smaller scale Slave I has been available from LEGO (8097 Slave I), and it appears this updated version’s overall shape has benefitted from a near-decade’s worth of new curved elements.
An updated twin-pod Cloud Car in red is also included in the BCC set, a vehicle that hasn’t been available since 2002 in the 7119 Twin-Pod Cloud Car set (a year before the original 10123 Cloud City was released). The newer patrol car still fits two pilots, one in each pod and a more curved appearance which better represents the vehicle from the film.
In terms of minifigures, this set does not disappoint, coming in at a whopping 20 characters (including droids). From our collection of good guys, we have two minifigures of both Leia and Han Solo, one in their Bespin outfit and the other their newer Hoth variants (a third for Han if you count his carbonite block form). Luke, Chewbacca, C-3PO and R2-D2 are also included, though only our human heroes have dual expressions.
Taking a look at the residents of Cloud City, we have Lando Calrissian with his dashing dual-colored cape, a variant that hasn’t been available since the original Cloud City set was on shelves. Also included are Lobot, an Ugnaught and two each of some Cloud City guards in blue and Cloud Car pilots in white.
From our gallery of rogues, the BCC set includes Darth Vader, Boba Fett (with arm printing), an IG-88 droid and two Stormtroopers.
The price of $349.99 USD might seem slightly high, though LEGO has clearly done their homework to provide a complete set with an insane amount of minifigures, play functions, and iconic vehicles which were in desperate need for a refresh. 75222 Betrayal at Cloud City may well usher in the new play-oriented “LEGO Star Wars Master Builder Series,” but for now we have our head in the clouds.
The full press release from LEGO and complete image gallery of 75222 Betrayal at Cloud City are included below. The Brothers Brick will bring you a close-up look and review of this set soon, so stay tuned.
75222 Betrayal at Cloud City
Ages 14+. 2,812 pieces
US $349.99 – CA $399.99 – DE 349.99€ – UK £299.99 – FR 349.99€ – DK 2999DK
Visit Bespin’s amazing metropolis in the sky—Cloud City!
Relive a world of unforgettable moments from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back or add your own fun twists to the story with this LEGO® Star Wars 75222 Betrayal at Cloud City set. The amazingly detailed set is divided into 4 sections, each depicting scenes from the classic movie. There’s a landing platform complete with Boba Fett’s Slave I ship, a detailed promenade, a dining room with seating for 5 minifigures, a garbage processing room with incinerator, and a sensor balcony for epic Luke vs. Vader Lightsaber duels. There’s also a carbon freeze chamber with a function to ‘freeze’ Han in carbonite, an interrogation chamber and prison cell, a secondary landing platform for the Twin-Pod Cloud Car, and so much more. Add an astonishing 18 LEGO minifigures plus 2 droids to the mix, and you have a set that Star Wars and LEGO fans of any age would be proud to add to their collection.
- Includes 18 minifigures: Han Solo, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker in Bespin outfits, Chewbacca, C-3PO, Lando Calrissian, Lobot, 2 Cloud City Guards, 2 Cloud Car Pilots, Leia and Han in Hoth outfits, Darth Vader, Boba Fett, 2 Stormtroopers and an Ugnaught, plus R2-D2 and an IG-88 droid.
- Section 1 features a landing platform with a sliding entrance door and Boba Fett’s Slave I ship with an opening minifigure cockpit, movable wings and space underneath to store the Han in carbonite element.
- Section 2 features a dining room with a table, seats for 5 minifigures and a decorative Cloud City micro build; lounge with a transparent sculpture and 2 chairs; garbage processing room with an incinerator, conveyor belt and a deactivated IG-class droid; and a promenade with tree sculpture, mural relief and opening doorways leading to other parts of the model.
- Section 3 features a sensor balcony with railing and swing-out function, plus a maintenance cabin with opening round window for epic Lightsaber duels, plus a carbon freeze chamber with lever-activated ‘freeze’ function.
- Section 4 features a dark-red corridor leading to the interrogation chamber with a turning interrogation chair, plus a prison cell, hangar with a secret trapdoor and tool & weapon rack, and space for the Twin-Pod Cloud Car with opening minifigure cockpits and 2 stud shooters.
- New minifigure details include Leia’s red dress, Han’s Corellian blood stripe, Luke’s dark-tan Dagobah outfit, the Ugnaught’s head decoration and the cloud car pilots.
- Weapons include Han’s blaster pistol, Chewbacca’s bowcaster, Luke’s Lightsaber, Vader’s Lightsaber, Boba Fett’s blaster rifle, IG-88’s blaster rifle, 5 blaster pistols and 4 blasters.
- Accessory elements include a wrench, handcuffs and Lobot’s cybernetic band.
- Stage air-to-air battles between Boba Fett’s Slave I and the Twin-Pod Cloud Car.
- Pull the carbon freeze chamber lever to pretend freeze Han in carbonite!
- Relive unforgettable scenes from the classic Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back movie.
- This amazing set is part of the LEGO® Star Wars Master Builder Series.
- Cloud City measures over 6” (16cm) high, 22” (58cm) wide and 22” (56cm) deep.
- Slave I measures over 4” (11cm) high, 7” (19cm) long and 7” (18cm) wide.
Available directly from LEGO Stores & shop.LEGO.com from 1 October, 2018.
VIP Availability 13th September, 2018.
